Indicating mechanism



.im 15,1923. p 1,442,716 V y l J. w FPIWER, I i NDVICATING CHANISM` FILED Seri-r. I8. 1952.

...mmm nl mn Hull' f@ .i A www," lfm@ IHIH Patented Jan. 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES JOHN W. FLOWER, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

INDICATING MECHANISM.

Application led September 18, 1922. Serial No. 589,030.

To [Z whom it Vmay Coface/m.'

Ile it known that L JoHN W. FLownR, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Detroit, in the county of llVayne and State of Michifran, have invented a new and improved ndlcating Mechanism, of which the vfollowing is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to means for indicating the relative position of a movable member, but specically, it relates to means for indicating the extent of opening of gate valves which are operated by hydraulic cylinders, the indicatlng mechanism being preferably positioned ad]acent the controlling device for the valve-operating mechanism, and the object of this invention is to produce an indicating mechanism of this character which shall be simple in construction, positive in its operation` which can be located at any convenient'location relative to the valve, and which can be produced at relatively low cost.

This invention consists in the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawin;l and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a hydraulic cylinder and a vertical section ot the indicating mechanism therefor. Fig 2 is a plan of a p0rtion of the indicating mechanism.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts in both views.

The cylinder 1 is provided with the usual heads` 2 and 3 and these heads are shown provided with openings 4l and 5 to receive the pipes for the operating liquid which forces the piston Within the cylinder up or down. As the ionstruction ot' the piston and of the mechanism to he operated thereby forms no part ot the present invention, they are not shown.

)i rod 6 extends slid-ably up through a stufiing box 7 on the head 2 and may be considered as an extension of the main piston rod. Instead of this hydraulic cylinder, any other means may be employed to operate this rod 6 in harmony with the mechanisln which is to be controlled thereby. Attached to the rod 6 is a bar 8 to Whose outer end is connected a cam plate 9 having a diagonal slot 10. A channel shaped ide 12 may be attached at its upper and ower ends to the flanges 13 of the hydraulic cylinder 1.

Mounted on the head 2 is a cylinder 14 in which the piston 15 is slidable. The outer end 16 of the piston is bifurcated and carries a pin 17 which is slidable. in the cam slot 10. A pipe 18 is connected into the head 19 of the cylinder 14 and into the head 2U of the cylinder 22. A piston 23 is slidable in this cylinder and connects to a sleeve 2-1 in Whose outer end a nut 25 is secured, the nut and sleeve being prevented from turning by means of the screws 2U which extend through the slots 27 in the wall of the cylinder 22.

This mit 25 is fitted on a screw 28 whose pitch is so coarse that the nut can slide up and down freely and turn this screw 28 and thereby swing the pointer 29 attached to its upper end over the graduations or indirating.;` characters 30 on the plate 31. This screw is mounted in the hub 32 of the head 33 of the cylinder 22 and this hub is attached to a plate 34, which, together with the plate 31, are secured to the table 39.

Any desired means may be employed to control the flow of the operating liquid to the ends ot the cylinder 1 and l have shown a handle 3G attached to a shaft 37 which is mounted in a huh 3S connected to the same plate 31 which supports the hub 30. The mechanism which connects this shaft 37 to the valves and the valves themselves are omitted as they are well known and form no part of this invention.

ll heu the valve or other device which is actuated hy the hydrauliccylinder lV and the mechanism therein if: to he moved from one position to uuothei; the handle 236 is swung so as to cause the operating liquid to enter through either of the openings 5 or 4. which will cause thc stein to mow up or down. 'in upward movement will Ytorre the piston l5 inward and cause the piston to move up and thus cause the indicator 29 to travel clockwise over the graduations shown in Fig. 2. The operator can thereby determine the position of the piston within the cylinder and the position ol' the parts connected thereto.

The details o'l construction and the proport ions oi' the parts of thisl indicating Inechanism may all he changed hy those skilled in the art without departing trom the spirit oi my invention as set forth in the following claims.

l claim:-

l. ln an indicating mechanism, the combination ci a longitudinally movable rod, a

plete and `having u slot forming an angle with `the axis ol' eaid roti, mmm?. to connect the plate to the rod.` a cylinder und o piston therefor :incl means connerted to the piston wherehy the willie ot' :said iin-linedl slot may more the piston in or ont as the plate is moved longitudinally in either direction by suini roil. a second cylinder :md a piston therein. n nut connected to miel second piston n serewv threaded shaft mounted in saiil ont adopted to he turned thereliiy as said piston moves longitudinally in sziiil cylinder, an indicator connected thereto, and a pipe oonriveting the tivo eylinders to Convey an operating Huid from one to the other.

2. ln un indicatingr meehzinienn a cam operatixely eonneftwl to the part whose movement is to he indicated` n eyiinfler, a piston therein. means Connectingr the piston to the f-ilni whereby the piston may he moved in the ivliniler in proportion to the movements of the @non u second rylincler and a piston theliin` a pipe connecting Said cylinders to reunio-:it finiti whereby the movement of one pintor may Pense :i i-orresponiling movement oi' the other. and an inflieaior (connected to the seronti piston.

Ii. ln an inriicnting inerhnniem. i1 cam 0peratively connected to the part whose movement to he inclieatefh a Cylinder, il piston therein. means conneeting the piston to the @am whereby the piston moy he moved in the cylinder in proportion to the movements oi' the com` a seeonil cylinder and 1a piston ihereim a pipe vonnecting said -eylinders to conductilnii wheivhy the movement of one piston may muri :i corresponding movement of the otheiu :in indicator vonnected to the Seremi piston, r-iziirl. inilirzxtor eon'lprising a rotntzihle shaft having; il pointer at one end nini a helienl groove ui' the other, a graduated platte over whim-h the pointer may Swing, i mit fitting on the shaft and in Said groove and :ittnoheii to seid. Second pieton`y anti menneto prevent the not Vfrom turning.

4. in tomhination with ai hydraulic valveoperating ryliniler and a` heail thereioLy a. rofl Slirizihle in said heini, :i plate having av com slot it un :ingle to the line of the rod, invano to vomi-eci the plaie to the rod` :i seconil cylinder mounted on the head of the hyflranlie v vliniier :i piston eliilahle in the seeonf! vlinileny :i pin mounted in the piston and extending into the earn slot whereby the piston may he moved in und out as said rod moves in the hear! ol" the hydraulic cylinder, a third eyliniler. i1 piston ti'ierein, a conductor pipe eonnecteri to the sei-ond and third c-ylindor to convey operating ihiifl from one to the other whorehy the movement of one piston muy eimer :i corresponding movement of the otheiz anni :in infliffutor Conneetod to inni positioned hy the piston in the third vylinrler.

JOHN W. FLOWER. 

